Toni Cipriani
Antonio "Toni" Cipriani is a fictional character in the Grand Theft Auto video game series. He first appeared in Grand Theft Auto III as a supporting character, and later as the playable protagonist of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. Toni is the Caporegime of the Leone family of the Mafia in Liberty City, working directly for Don Salvatore Leone. Toni has a mother, Momma Cipriani (also known as Ma Cipriani in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories), who constantly nags him about him not being able to match up with his father and failing to meet her expectations. Toni Cipriani was voiced by Michael Madsen in Grand Theft Auto III and Danny Mastrogiorgio in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. Appearances and Role ''Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories'' Toni's first chronological appearance was in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, set in 1998. Toni assumes the role of the playable character and protagonist of the game. The event explores Toni's history and exploits in 1998, three years prior to Grand Theft Auto III. Toni Cipriani left Liberty City for several years and kept a low profile after killing a "made man" for Salvatore Leone. He finally returned to the city in 1998, ready to continue his life of organized crime. Toni is given jobs by a grateful Salvatore, but because he was out of town for so many years, other members of the Leone family have had the time to move up in the hierarchy. Salvatore was forced to strip Toni of his rank and give the position to Vincenzo Cilli during his leave of absence. In return, Toni finds himself having to once again work for the Don, in order to secure a high ranking position in the Leone family. into an opera house in Liberty City Stories. Toni is depicted in the game to be much thinner than his depiction in GTA III, which takes place three years later.]] Much of his efforts in achieving this goal include battling two other Mafia families (the the Forellis and the Sindacco family) via several ways, allowing him to be "made" halfway through the storyline. Later, he fights the Liberty City Yakuza on orders from Toshiko Kasen, and finally the Sicilian Mafia, which Caporegime Massimo Torini intended to use to wipe out the Mafia families with and assume control of their territories. When Massimo is successfully killed by Toni, the Leone family are assured to control Liberty City, with Mayor Miles O'Donovan under the Leone family's influence. However, this victory is fleeting and in only a matter of years his work will be undone by Claude, the protagonist of GTA III.Toni is proved dead with writing on the wall in GTA4 that says"R.I.P Toni" ''Grand Theft Auto III'' '' is depicted in game as being fatter and having aged significantly, in comparison to his younger self in Liberty City Stories.]] In Grand Theft Auto III, Claude, the game's playable character, is introduced to Toni Cipriani by Salvatore Leone's son, Joey Leone, who indicates Toni's position as a Caporegime for Salvatore Leone. Early missions with Cipriani were primarily focused on extorting protection money from a Triad-controlled laundromat, by destroying several of the business's delivery trucks. He is also noticeably an old school type of mobster who is very loyal to the Leone's. Toni lives with his mother, Momma Cipriani, and is frequently seen in his family-run restaurant, Cipriani's Ristorante, providing jobs for Claude. The constant nagging from his mother about him not being able to match up with his father and failing to meet up to her expectations had forced him to call the local chat radio station, Chatterbox FM, and complain about his mother's constant bickering. Physical appearance In Liberty City Stories, Toni is significantly thinner than Grand Theft Auto III's depiction; this is commented or criticized by his mother, Maria and Salvatore Leone, with his mother and Salvatore in particular commenting about him not being fed well.Maria: (On the phone, as Toni Cipriani enters) "Spot it! One of Salvatore's dogs is bringing me right over...Oh, he's a charmer...Maybe too thin tough." (Opening cut scene of "Taken for a Ride," Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.)Toni Cipriani: "Ma? I'm back..." / Ma Cipriani: "Look at you! You look so thin! If you were still living here, with your mother, like a son should, you'd be eating right!" (Opening cut scene of "Grease Sucho," Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.)Salvatore Leone: "Toni! How are you my boy? You look a little thin. Isn't your momma feeding you right?" (Opening cut scene of "Frighteners," Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.) By Grand Theft Auto III, Toni is fatter and has aged considerably in the years that have passed between the two games, possibly because Toni had become fed up of being called thin, or simply takes advantage of his position in the Leone family by no longer performing jobs and instead giving orders himself. An easter egg in Grand Theft Auto lV suggest that Toni Cipriani died after 2001. However a graffiti on the wall only says "RIP Toni" bidding him farewell along with previous Protagonists characters. It is unknown how he died and lost power after Salvatorie Leone's death to Claude, but either way this is not considered canon for the GTA lll era. Notes and references Category:Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories Category:Grand Theft Auto characters Category:Male video game characters Category:Fictional gangsters Category:Fictional Italian-Americans Category:Fictional murderers Category:Fictional mobsters Category:2005 introductions